Motown & Funk Brothers Guitarist, Joe Messina - FULL INTERVIEW

[marv2]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w77O2IimuFY

[ralpht]

Marv, I am so sorry to hear this. Joe was an amazing musician and probably the nicest guy in the world. I am blessed to have known him and so fortunate to have shared a stage with him.

[soulwally]

Thanks for that please everyone watch and listen to Joe. One of the most fascinating accounts I’ve heard of the Motown back room. Joe seems a wonderful guy to boot

[snakepit]

Marv, I am so sorry to hear this. Joe was an amazing musician and probably the nicest guy in the world. I am blessed to have known him and so fortunate to have shared a stage with him.

Ralph...where does it say Joe has died? Am I missing something?

[marv2]

Marv, I am so sorry to hear this. Joe was an amazing musician and probably the nicest guy in the world. I am blessed to have known him and so fortunate to have shared a stage with him.

Ralph, Joe has not passed as far as I know. This is just a pretty recent interview that the Musicians Hall of Fame did with him. I am sorry if this post gave the wrong impression.

[snakepit]

That interview was done 2005.
As far as I know Joe is still alive.

Seems a nice guy. But it's amazing how 'disconnected' Joe [[ and many other artists) are from the music we have loved and lived with.
Just a day's work....wow.
The musicians never knew what would happen to their tracks, and it seems they rarely listened to them, even if the tracks got released.
The singers and musicians don't know just how the dedicated fans love and live with the product.

[jobucats]

That interview was done 2005.
As far as I know Joe is still alive.

Seems a nice guy. But it's amazing how 'disconnected' Joe [[ and many other artists) are from the music we have loved and lived with.
Just a day's work....wow.
The musicians never knew what would happen to their tracks, and it seems they rarely listened to them, even if the tracks got released.
The singers and musicians don't know just how the dedicated fans love and live with the product.

Snakepit, your comment summarizes exactly what I got from this interview. While listening to what he had to say, I was amazed how little he and the other musicians knew of the impact they were, even at the time, making on the world of music. He just happened to be one of those guys who came into the studio [[on time), did his job, and then went home or to another one of his gigs. I would have expected that they would actually eagerly listen to the recordings especially after they were released; however, you are right, it was 'just a day's work' for them. Don't take your work home with you, ha ha.

[snakepit]

Jobucats
Yes indeed.
I could easily understand Joe not knowing rare obscure stuff. But I saw Joe with the "Funk Bros" on their Uk K tour, and the playlist was , in the main, material that most casual fans would know.
It seems he never listened to any 'pop' or R&B radio in the day.
But I know lots of artists are the same...singers being told that a disc was actually released , and being made aware of the fact by UK Northern Soul collectors is not uncommon.

[marv2]

That interview was done 2005.
As far as I know Joe is still alive.

Seems a nice guy. But it's amazing how 'disconnected' Joe [[ and many other artists) are from the music we have loved and lived with.
Just a day's work....wow.
The musicians never knew what would happen to their tracks, and it seems they rarely listened to them, even if the tracks got released.
The singers and musicians don't know just how the dedicated fans love and live with the product.

I know what you are saying is true because I have met and spoke to several Motown artists that acted as if they had no clue how much we loved their work!

[marv2]

Snakepit, your comment summarizes exactly what I got from this interview. While listening to what he had to say, I was amazed how little he and the other musicians knew of the impact they were, even at the time, making on the world of music. He just happened to be one of those guys who came into the studio [[on time), did his job, and then went home or to another one of his gigs. I would have expected that they would actually eagerly listen to the recordings especially after they were released; however, you are right, it was 'just a day's work' for them. Don't take your work home with you, ha ha.

The last time I saw what was left of the Funk Brothers was in July 2005. It was a huge outdoor concert. During a break, I went through the crowd and at the souveniers table and told people that the Funk Brothers played on more million-selling records than any other musicians in the history of recorded music. I got a lot of "wow, really", "your kidding" etc,etc.

[ralpht]

Marv and all. Deepest apologies. My bad. Why I thought the posting was an obit of some sort is beyond me. Big sigh of relief.

[StuBass1]

Known Joe since I was a kid... Sweetest man in the world...https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/LS8FNQtkKY209U13pe372ves3tTQiThCAHNDhnKY9zURyk-9scMlQar8Ipe0Ys5B1s8M9Ji-o6v4sAqX4kNJgTaWPWAE-VEllDmjpIXw1h2T-EFxtiwsjVDXhv8WkOgH91QlolPsESjemRXGa6zw4mfxLIPbIvp J2u7VKO5IgUh2DLfrJWAGJMYixxV6Pp3dp4vYl77OElT4mTeE3 b126DgD6K0lQ809R0FJQWfH0tvJlz04CiX_U5bXWMxtimpVufV VQLHSrUd6FqiU6TcurcWfztq4ZrVppNWlyuJuT7sNuK0s1BEh9 5x0mKy-7qhtMcB5R2zi5w5O2BMKG5nZnocl4vh7Lv6dgAFTh1bpIghrc4 hTI1CxldRDULF0Bxjhs_4RMTYdT3BKsutsSJFzSOaA1KZHLVDd TINWujMXN7qZoNa2DRt4jVHxpzobxMIXe9TS4RDwpdBOzdCb9i EO8ehDcVkvlyKBdPvoRNS39USwioYGGAQZ_BIFaDMzUuJTOUxK 1Kas1UZd2rKxFDY4hrhl3tdhNkmuz_6fJygYCpc7xmbzL9aW8N 3fcBRHrEV-F0Cg5P7aYgqRJUFZAKqGBL6uqLl-pJqGWDieG3wbEawxVw-Kpms3KkLdylW4Ooxm4bv5jaDK6lPYXNdqX6rkT95MnppG-iDRnGSTogObh6mn9phH5v8m4GldIMzH=w400-h300-no?authuser=0

[ralpht]

Great shot, Stu.

[marv2]

Marv and all. Deepest apologies. My bad. Why I thought the posting was an obit of some sort is beyond me. Big sigh of relief.

Ralph. It was probably because unfortunately there have been so many lately.

[marv2]

Known Joe since I was a kid... Sweetest man in the world...https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/LS8FNQtkKY209U13pe372ves3tTQiThCAHNDhnKY9zURyk-9scMlQar8Ipe0Ys5B1s8M9Ji-o6v4sAqX4kNJgTaWPWAE-VEllDmjpIXw1h2T-EFxtiwsjVDXhv8WkOgH91QlolPsESjemRXGa6zw4mfxLIPbIvp J2u7VKO5IgUh2DLfrJWAGJMYixxV6Pp3dp4vYl77OElT4mTeE3 b126DgD6K0lQ809R0FJQWfH0tvJlz04CiX_U5bXWMxtimpVufV VQLHSrUd6FqiU6TcurcWfztq4ZrVppNWlyuJuT7sNuK0s1BEh9 5x0mKy-7qhtMcB5R2zi5w5O2BMKG5nZnocl4vh7Lv6dgAFTh1bpIghrc4 hTI1CxldRDULF0Bxjhs_4RMTYdT3BKsutsSJFzSOaA1KZHLVDd TINWujMXN7qZoNa2DRt4jVHxpzobxMIXe9TS4RDwpdBOzdCb9i EO8ehDcVkvlyKBdPvoRNS39USwioYGGAQZ_BIFaDMzUuJTOUxK 1Kas1UZd2rKxFDY4hrhl3tdhNkmuz_6fJygYCpc7xmbzL9aW8N 3fcBRHrEV-F0Cg5P7aYgqRJUFZAKqGBL6uqLl-pJqGWDieG3wbEawxVw-Kpms3KkLdylW4Ooxm4bv5jaDK6lPYXNdqX6rkT95MnppG-iDRnGSTogObh6mn9phH5v8m4GldIMzH=w400-h300-no?authuser=0

Joe reminds me very much of one of my best friends here in New York. Great pic!

[bob_olhsson]

What a great interview!

Somebody told me that Joe had turned down touring with Charlie Parker. My understanding is he was by far one of the busiest musicians in Detroit playing on lots of commercials and broadcasts in addition to Motown.

ABC radio was based in Detroit while CBS and NBC were in Chicago. Both cities had amazing musicians during the '40s, '50s and '60s.

[ralpht]

I guess you nailed it, Marv.

[StuBass1]

What a great interview!

Somebody told me that Joe had turned down touring with Charlie Parker. My understanding is he was by far one of the busiest musicians in Detroit playing on lots of commercials and broadcasts in addition to Motown.

ABC radio was based in Detroit while CBS and NBC were in Chicago. Both cities had amazing musicians during the '40s, '50s and '60s.

In Joes many years doing the Soupy Sales late night show in Detroit from the Maccabees Building [[where my brother used to go and take guitar lessons from Joe in the stairwell between the nightly rehearsal and the live show), Soupy being a big jazz fan had most of the top jazz artists on his show whenever they came through Detroit... Coltrane, Billie H, Yardbird, Miles, Clifford Brown, all of them and Joe, being the best kept jazz guitar secret around the country could have toured with many of them... Joe never wanted to leave his beloved wife Josie...and even when he agreed to tour with The Funk Brothers, Josie, not in the best of health at the time, travelled with the guys and the devoted Joe was always there to push her around the venues in her wheelchair which he did all through Europe...I had the opportunity to visit with them both on one of their appearances here in Los Angeles prior to Josie's passing, I believe at the old House of Blues...

[StuBass1]

Joe reminds me very much of one of my best friends here in New York. Great pic!


Speaking of that picture I posted... I was visiting Detroit for an occasion several years ago, maybe around 2013... We arranged to meet up for lunch at the Pancake House on Woodward in Birmingham, me my brother, and I believe Steve Shepherd stopped by... Our lunch lasted four hours as the stories just kept on coming... It was great hearing about all those old legends and memories... The next year, we were sorry Joe wasn't up to coming out to L.A. for the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony along with Jack and Eddie, but we hooked him up to the live stream and I sent him his personal WOF awards and recognitions... https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/QT7923mnCZV73T7Fd5DK_5TUr0kNqJDCll2sfpczqh1P8UdLiS 8_4p6A6kRyQGirlktDarFXp3S9Vcq_DC_knKw1wKfBmqqbbApd xHm0udHSlR8phNWCJhx3LCYgAub_26NeFi--2a-jvf2c-e7aVHCVbbsXzQmiKS_yjtHBnN73Kbv1EPwC6xvVU8SK5ai_Yjk vXzPG33RPmTOloh1jT60-fZLiLYCExJhV4TNaa7IcwmKKIbm9v4nKKKIB8OSLCx_npkMilj w7AJ-rSJ95M957hQHBBzZHBXFSbpXvScsGUerfZm_NaH-f4fMWm1LP9DZuSaQ_cfVPe_LAgAEiSfu4DMNeHfI_oNKMUCRNQ 5pD3DsvrXbhH0a28o_LQxWuGUvuY2csSOTeESb89ZhU-7H4tYWq9QdrzrOD_rD8u7hBuUwSPGSBg_UvMpKWKudVZNQOgtZ xJn7-yAVsWYuAeWyoJj-2Vc4gc0_OCl8sG9HPDrYWPmtLdt0lbhFzJ4VQhjmoeCzNU9Msw F0Rbvup19TUEdDiyx-OlEfMUWvIrbIZA4RhAjyou_arayy-ZK5B5WH4ZTSg-3xqXnBUGF6_kp0-QnWXhFTwLmwXI4q7rMC4YIZZcncQzBp4R2QJQHbgmn1jbZutqA xObW7_MhaXhdIaYG06B-Xxn2pd70-QrVNFKqHjmwbEbQF7S8Utxw=w294-h246-no?authuser=0

[StuBass1]

I think it's no secret that Joe considered his jazz playing as the most significant part of his musical legacy [[although being the humble guy he is, never once considered his own importance)...Motown, as he says, was a job...a fun job, but it's true that he knows or remembers few of the tunes he played on [[although in addition to those he mentioned in this interview, also considered Valerie Simpson as one of his favorite and most talented people at Motown) ...He rarely if ever listened to the finished product...Being a former bass player myself [[I guess once a bass player ALWAYS a bass player, active or not) I recall standing around and bringing up Jamerson, a guy's whose musicality Joe truly admired... He didn't immediately respond as the subject changed...then about five minutes later after obviously scanning his memory bank Joe suddenly turned to me and with that patented Joe Messina grin on his face and said..."you know...the thing I remember about Jamerson is that he was always complaining that his FEET hurt" LOL... I remember relating that story to Mickey Stevenson during a conversation one time and Mickey burst out laughing at the memory telling me..."That's right, Jamerson's feet always DID hurt"... Joe is a classic...

[snakepit]

From a fan /collector point of view, it seems incredible that Joe and no doubt other musicians didn't realise what they were creating..
However, as the 60s moved on, and the technology changed, the time span from the Funk Bros laying down rhythm tracks and the final , finished product could be weeks, months or years . And the volume of work was fantastic was it not?
And, if they weren't presented with the finished product it is easy to see how they would have missed most of it.
I believe Joe invested in car washes....Or am I mistaken?

[StuBass1]

From a fan /collector point of view, it seems incredible that Joe and no doubt other musicians didn't realise what they were creating..
However, as the 60s moved on, and the technology changed, the time span from the Funk Bros laying down rhythm tracks and the final , finished product could be weeks, months or years . And the volume of work was fantastic was it not?
And, if they weren't presented with the finished product it is easy to see how they would have missed most of it.
I believe Joe invested in car washes....Or am I mistaken?

Joe just wasn't really interested much in the music itself... He appreciated the talent of his fellow Funk Brothers, enjoyed the camaraderie in the studio, but he really had not much interest in how those tracks turned out... He came in, played his parts and took his role as guitar section leader seriously, but in the end...it was a job.. His true joy was playing jazz...True about the car wash business, although Joe's son took over at some point....

[StuBass1]

PS... Joe was asked during this interview if he played any other instruments and he responded "No" I believe... Actually not true...Joe was an accomplished jazz harmonica player and if I'm not mistaken, even wrote a book on the instrument....

[snakepit]

Stu
Did Joe moonlight around the Detroit studios with the other Funk Bros?
I'n the interview he says he was contracted to Motown, but other guys seemed to get around that!

[StuBass1]

Stu
Did Joe moonlight around the Detroit studios with the other Funk Bros?
I'n the interview he says he was contracted to Motown, but other guys seemed to get around that!
I don't believe Joe did much studio recording session work beyond Motown other than perhaps commercials and jingle work and the Soupy late night show when it was in Detroit...He was also quite busy with club dates... He certainly wasn't sneaking into R&B sessions around town like many of the other guys... When he wasn't working at Motown or nightclub gigs, Joe was known to be a homebody, and as he said...was never one of the guys to travel out of town for sessions or anything else...His plate was pretty full without chasing local sessions... I would also suspect that if Joe committed his exclusivity to Berry Gordy, he would keep his word on that...

[bob_olhsson]

Joe was constantly doing advertising sessions and broadcasting during the day. He also had a jingle company. Joe along with several of the other Funk Brothers had exclusive recording contracts with Motown. I understood they got paid $500 a week in addition to union scale which I believe was $60/3 hour session. Together, that made them among the highest paid musicians in the United States. The movie misrepresented how they were treated by Motown.

[tmd]

When the Funk Brothers were touring after the movie came out, I took my son to their concert in D.C. , everyone was there including Dr. Licks and I brought my book along and I had them all sign it, including Dr. Licks, I had an opportunity to talk to them after the show- they were all together sitting in a row. When I was speaking to Joe he asked where I was originally from and I told him Warren, his eyes got a lot bigger and he sad that is where he lives and we talked a bit and he told me he had a few car washes there. Great interview and what a beautiful gentleman.

Thanks for sharing.